The Ontario Not-For-Profit Corporations Act
Workshop 101
The ONCA from the Operational Perspective of
the Sector
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The Who and What of Corporate Legislation
• Provides the Organizational “bones” of corporate governance
– members, Directors, corporate purposes, formation,
dissolution, roles and responsibilities, meetings, borrowing
etc. It is therefore fundamental to Nonprofit operations.
• Covers all not-for-profit corporations including
- Charities (who are also nonprofits) (60%)
- not-for-profit corporations providing public benefit
(25%)
- not-for-profit corporations serving their members (
14%)
- not-for-profit corporations with equity member
(<1%)
Background On ONCA
• Nonprofit Legislation dates from 1917 providing
social clubs for veterans
• Ontario Act Not revised for 50 years
• During that time sector grew and evolved its
nonprofit way of doing things
• Viewed as last piece of corporate legislation to
modernize, drafters goal was to have it similar to
business corporate law and federal nonprofit
corporate legislation.
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How We Got to Where We are Now
Consultation with sector in 2007, shifted ministries 3
times
Tabled in the Legislature on closure, Spring 2010
Ontario Not-for-Profit legislation passed in Fall of
2010
ONN requested legislative amendments
Government currently working on Regulations,
Guides, Draft By-Laws and forms. Expected Fall 2012.
ONCA proclamation has been delayed six months
Now scheduled to be proclaimed July 1, 2013
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What Proclamation Means for Nonprofit
Organizations.
•Three year period after proclamation to bring bylaws into compliance (after
3 years you are automatically subject to default by-law.)
•Sections of the act not covered in an organization’s by-laws take effect
immediately upon proclamation.
•A guide has been prepared but because of concerns about providing legal
advice (not the role of MCS) It is insufficient to assist organizations make the
transition to the new act.
•A draft default By-law will be provided but organizations will definitely want
to make their own.
•Regulations, guides, forms and draft by-law will be available fall 2012.
•There is currently no budget, distribution, or education plan to help the
Sector with the ONCA. ONN is working with MCS to see what can be done
Basic features
• Incorporation as a right, electronically (charities of course have
to satisfy CRA initially and file changes with Ontario Attorney
General.)
• Corporation has rights, powers and privileges of a natural person
• Statutory Duty of Care for Directors –reasonable care, honestly,
in good faith and in the best interests of the corporation.
•Review engagements rather than audits for small organizations
and under $100,000 can be waived altogether with member vote.
•Allows for modern communications – email notice etc.
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Basic features continued…
•Maximum term for directors 4 years- no limit on renewals,
•Directors need not be members,
•Sliding number of directors permitted
• Corporations allowed to engage in commercial activities if profits
are reinvested in support of the organizations not-for-profit
purpose. **** (Not currently supported under federal legislation)
• Other legislation e.g. Income Tax Act and CRA trumps this act.
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Public Benefit Corporation
• Charities and not-for-profit corporations receiving $10,000
from a third party are “Public Benefit Corporations”
(federally called soliciting corporations)
• Charities are always and permanently Public Benefit
organizations – minimum of three directors, and have a
higher threshold of accountability and non-distribution
constraint.
• Non-charities receiving a total of $10,000 (from third party)
become temporary Public Benefit Corporations for the next
three years. (yo-yo corporations)
• The three years begins at the annual meeting after the grant.
New Provisions for Directors
• Act provides for paying directors, and allowing up to one
third of directors to be employees. *** (prohibited for CRA
charities)
• Strengthened conflict of interest guidelines.
• Can purchase liability insurance and indemnify directors.
• If Directors resign then senior staff acts in their stead.
(implications yet to be fully understood.)
ONCA Member Rights
Adopted from Shareholder Rights
• Shareholders have financial interest in corporation, 99.9% of
nonprofit members do not.
• Business corporations serve their shareholders above all. In
public Benefit corporations members are but one
stakeholder. Other key stakeholders are the public and
Funders. Under ONCA members have all the rights.
• Many nonprofits use membership as a method of affiliation
- Sport has 3 million children as non-voting members
- A philanthropic organization has thousands of donors as
members.
- religious groups have their congregations as members
Member Rights
• Each classes of members has a vote on important corporate
issues (mergers, sale of assets etc.) including non-voting
members who are treated like minority shareholders.
• Each class of member (e.g. youth, corporate,) needs to
approve. – creates pressure to minimize the classes of
members
• Obtaining a quorum at an annual meeting is no longer
acceptable. Active solicitation of proxies or electronic voting
is mandatory under the ONCA.
• Members can give a proxy to “any person” not just another
member.
Members Rights Continued..
• All members can receive articles of incorporation and bylaws free of charge.
• Members have increased rights to view financial records.
• Classes of members have to be in Articles (letters Patent).
(They are now in by-laws. )
• Changes to articles have to be reapproved by CRA who may
review all articles *** amending articles is risky with CRA.
Also reviewed with the Attorney General. ***( Caution –
CRA/attorney general role discussions still underway)
More Members Rights
• Members can put forward proposals for discussion on any
subject relevant to the organization – at the annual meeting
or special meeting (10%) of members.
• If approved by the membership, the proposal is binding on
the Board of Directors.** (in other corporate legislation
member resolutions are only advisory, no one knows how
the ONCA will be interpreted in the courts)
• Members can take the Directors to court if they believe they
are not acting in compliance with the act, regulations,
articles and by-laws.
The Clash of Cultures
over Conflict Management
• Over the years Nonprofit Boards have evolved methods for
resolving conflict that do not involve winner take all majority votes. – other forums for contentious issues,
collaboration, stewardship.
• Eventually the Courts will decide - Traditionally Directors
have decision-making authority but this act gives members
the right to bring binding resolutions. How the courts will
decide is very unclear.
• Difficult decisions loom for organizations re quorum for
meetings, classes of members, criteria for membership
Amendments ONN Recommended
ONN is asked that nonprofit traditions and ways of working be
respected:
• Restrict member voting to member business. Make member
resolutions nonbinding.
• Make nonvoting members non-voting.
• Eliminate mandatory proxy or electronic voting.
Other Amendments Recommended
• Provide an Opt-in option to a clear definition of Public
Benefit corporation for nonprofits providing public benefit
that are not charities.
• Provide a permanent non-distribution constraint for
nonprofit organizations opting to be public benefit
corporations.
• Eliminate the $10,000 trigger. Member benefit corporations
would never be public benefit corporations. ( no yo-yo
corporations)
Implications for Implementing the ONCA
• The ONCA has the potential to significantly change how we relate to and
involve our communities.
• There will be confusion and different opinions regarding several parts of
the act until we have some court cases.
• Individual organizations will have difficulty understanding the act and
determining the changes they need to make and how to make them.
• ONN is now working collaboratively with the ministry to consider
establishing a transition Advisory Committee of sector representatives
and the MCS Staff and, to explore how the sector can be supported in
making the transition to the new legislation –possible a third party
educator and advisory support.
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